Instant creamy marinara sauce (Printable Version)

Smooth tomato sauce combining butter and herbs, ready in under 10 minutes for versatile use.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sauce Base

01 - 2 cups canned tomato sauce, plain and unsalted if possible

→ Dairy

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Seasoning

03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
05 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Optional Additions

06 - 1 tablespoon heavy cream
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano)

# How To Make It:

01 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine tomato sauce, butter, and garlic powder.
02 - Stir continuously until the butter has fully melted and the mixture begins to simmer, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Incorporate salt and black pepper, stirring thoroughly to blend.
04 - For enhanced creaminess, add heavy cream and sprinkle dried Italian herbs if desired; mix well.
05 - Allow the sauce to simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm over pasta, as a dipping sauce, or as a pizza topping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour on the stove when it actually took ten minutes flat.
  • Butter transforms tinned tomato sauce into something genuinely luxurious without any fancy ingredients.
  • This becomes your secret weapon for last-minute dinners, pizza nights, or when unexpected guests show up.
02 -
  • Buy the best tomato sauce your budget allows because everything else is just a supporting player—San Marzano or fire-roasted brands genuinely taste different and worth seeking out.
  • Stir occasionally but not constantly, because you want the sauce to warm through and develop flavor, not get aggressively whisked into submission.
  • Taste before serving because salt levels vary wildly between brands of tomato sauce, and you might need barely any or a bit more than the recipe suggests.
03 -
  • Use a wooden spoon when stirring because it won't scrape the bottom of the pan and it feels right in your hand for this kind of cooking.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks separated, whisk in a tablespoon of cold water and it'll come back together like it never happened.
  • Make this sauce twice as much as you think you'll need because it disappears faster than you expect and you'll want leftovers.
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